Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-two-photon-lithography-photonic-packaging-solution.html "laser-based 2-photon lithography (TPL) assembles and connects photonic components into high resolution 3D structure... beam shapers and mode transformers... high-channel-density, low-loss 2.5-D or 3D links to accommodating height differences between optical ports, and guide precise component placement... broadband resins low in optical attenuation, suitable for building low-loss optical links between dissimilar material platforms... addresses tight alignment tolerance and need for heterogeneous or hybrid integration"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-2d-material-reshape-3d-electronics.html "fully integrating many functions into small monolithic 3D chip containing 6 atomically thin 2D layers, each with own function... tightly packed processing layers ensure dense interlayer connectivity. As a result, the hardware offers unprecedented efficiency and performance in AI computing tasks... compact, powerful, energy-efficient, flexible, faster processing, enhanced security, reduced latency... expand AI system capability, autonomous vehicles, medical diagnostics, data centers, in-sensor computing"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-world-optical-fiber-transmission-capacity.html "using only a single optical fiber... multi-band-compatible MIMO receiver combining multi-band WDM and SDM with large spatial channel count fibers (e.g., 114 channels with a 38-core 3-mode fiber)... >1,000X data rate... uncoupled four-core MCF is suitable for early adaptation... further improvement of the telecommunication infrastructure using ultra-large-capacity optical fibers will be needed in the future, where the data traffic demand is expected to increase by 3 orders of magnitude (x1,000 times)"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-scientists-ultrafast-magnetic-noise.html "antiferromagnetic insulators energy-efficient components in information technology, having hardly any magnetic fields on outside, difficult to characterize physically, yet surrounded by magnetic fluctuations... measure very fast fluctuations (random noise) detected on ultrashort fs time scale... ultrashort light pulses transmitted through magnet with time delay, 1st serves as reference and 2nd contains information about how much antiferromagnet has changed in interim... applications such as random number generators"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-scientists-miniaturized-technique-generate-precise.html "select wavelength to accuracy of 99.7%. With improvements, >99.9%, required for powering high-precision optics such as atomic clocks, quantum information ... transforms near-IR laser into specific wavelength of visible light (plus unused longer wavelength). These OPO-generated colors, unlike those previously created by smooth microrings, can be precisely controlled by bumps' spacing and width... shift towards longer or shorter wavelength depending on shift magnitude which is determined by bump height"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-wireless-house-wiring.html "transmitter on the switch and a receiver near a light fixture or other appliance—have been around for many years, but required batteries... switch costs <$1 and runs without batteries, harvesting energy from ambient sources such as RF (1 or 2 RF sources per floor)... seamlessly automated sensors and systems for temperature, humidity and occupancy... turn lights and heating vents on and off as occupants move from room to room"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-secret-life-electromagnon-ultrafast-magnetism.html "When terahertz pulse strikes crystal, the electric field pushes the atoms atoms to wiggle (phonons), creating an effective magnetic field, that causes spins to wobble (magnons) fractionally later... time-resolved X-ray diffraction used to quantify, at very low temperatures, how much energy phonons and magnons acquire respectively... interactions between lattice and spins underpin many physical effects that give rise to unusual and potentially very useful material properties: for example, high-temperature superconductivity"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-blueprint-high-performance-batteries.html "combining negatively and positively charged ions improves overall battery performance... next-generation multivalents such as zinc, magnesium and calcium replacing lithium-ion... analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Density functional theory... optimize metal deposition and stripping at the anode, enhance cation transport, increase electrode stability and activity, enable thousands of cycles, and faster, more efficient electricity generation and storage" Related: A 3D magnesiophilic substrate enables planar electroplating/stripping of magnesium metal anode https://phys.org/news/2023-12-3d-magnesiophilic-substrate-enables-planar.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-next-gen-hard-to-move-quasiparticles-glide-pyramid.html "move excitons in much smaller packages than previously possible... laser create excitons cloud at pyramid's base, bouncing electrons out of valence band into conduction band... landscape governed by how far apart semiconductor's valence and conduction bands are: semiconductor's band gap shrinks where semiconductor stretched... excitons migrate to lowest energy state and rise to pyramid's peak... combination of optics and excitonics for fast efficient exciton devices potentially including room temperature quantum computers"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-generation-semiconductors-diamond-device-highest.html "better efficiency and performance... synthetic diamond ultra-wide gap semiconductor with highest thermal conductivity, operating at much higher voltages (5 - 9 kV) and currents with less material and dissipating heat...  hope to approach the performance limits of diamond's material potential... suited for high power, high voltage applications for the future electric grid and other power applications" Related: Will electric fields lead the way in developing semiconductors with high power efficiency? https://phys.org/news/2024-01-electric-fields-semiconductors-high-power.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-advances-magnetic-graphene-low-power-electronics.html "induce and directly quantify spin splitting energy in 2D magnetic gaphene using Landau fan shift... large tunability using field cooling... high degree of spin-polarization... created magnetic graphene structure by stacking monolayer graphene on top of stacking-induced magnetic insulating oxide... magnetism in atomically thin van der Waals heterostructures... all-electric spin field-effect transistors... enables ultrafast room temperature 2D spintronic and magnetic memory/sensory electronics"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-new-study-shows-how-heat.html "heat (otherwise wasted) signals steered and amplified in energy-efficient data processing... non-conductive magnetic strips in conjunction with normal metal spacers conduct and amplify heat signals in controlled manner powering logical computing operations and heat diodes... slower speed better suited for next-generation computers which will be used to perform energy-saving calculations, than for everyday electronics such as smartphones"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-ions-nano-sized-particles-platform-quantum.html "device 2 orders magnitude smaller... nanoparticles each containing approx. 1000 Er ions placed on mirror and cooled to ~6°K... erbium ions excited with laser at 1,535 nm... increase in ion emission >100X... saturate ion with only ~10-2 photons in cavity per cavity lifetime emitting only 1 photon at a time... enable quantum processors using hundreds of qubits in nanoscale volume... erbium ions provide communication qubits connecting quantum processors... low-loss and fast interface between quantum internet nodes"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-2d-3d-mxene-path-revolutionizing.html "using acamphene to freeze-cast 2D MXene nanosheets, producing dendrites arranged into a 3D ceramic scaffold having open pores with controlled dimensions and directionality... constructed 2-electrode supercapacitors poweing 2.5V LED light achieving higher power and energy densities... controlling MXene concentration and ceramic porosity tunes conductivity... also applicable to graphene instead of MXene, and to polymers and metals instead of ceramics... batteries, fuel cells, EVs, catalytic devices" Related: 2D single-crystalline LiCoO₂ nanosheets developed for high-performance battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-2d-crystalline-licoo-nanosheets-high.html

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3242712/hong-kong-team-says-new-cool-white-ceramic-can-reflect-nearly-all-sunlight-and-cut-air-conditioning "inspired by white Southeast Asian beetle, porous aluminium oxide scattering almost all wavelengths,  resistant to UV and fire... up to 2.5°C cooler indoors... high weather resistance and mechanical strength, recyclable, Leidenfrost depression (prevents water from evaporating from heated surfaces and faster cooling where fire), optional colors (slightly compromising reflectivity), and self-cleaning when water comes in contact with dust... market launch late 2024" Related: This adaptive roof tile can cut both heating and cooling costs https://news.ucsb.edu/2023/021285/adaptive-roof-tile-can-cut-both-heating-and-cooling-costs

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-salt-batteries-storage.html "salts tested for availability, safety, compactness and recyclability... heating strontium chloride salt releases water vapor.. adding back water vapor releases heat again... heat from pv solar panels extracted by boiler and used to heat house/ shower with excess heating 10 m3 of salt, which corresponds to two to three wardrobes. With that quantity natural gas no longer needed and heat stored in summer can be used in winter" Comments from Revolution-Green: "Rather expensive, that much strontium salt would cost ~$30k or more... also, if the demand for Strontium Chloride rises, the cost will too. Needs something a lot cheaper now and in massive supply"  http://disq.us/p/2wplbjw Related: UK’s unique heat-capturing glass tubes are keeping US fishermen warm https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/solar-solution-focuses-on-suns-heat Passive Photovoltaic Cooling: Advances Toward Low-Temperature Operatio

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-tapered-fiber-potential-candidate-high-energy.html "flexible/ compact, high conversion efficiency,... unwanted nonlinear effects threshold proportional to mode field diameter, and longitudinally increased core/cladding diameter of tapered fiber balances nonlinear effects and beam quality... combines tapered confined-doped fiber and high-order dispersion compensation technique... high-energy/ high peak power monolithic CPA system with near diffraction-limited beam quality (M2=1.20)... advanced manufacturing, photomedicine, and ultrafast physics"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-devouring-propulsion-green-technology-maritime.html "wave energy for propulsion and designed an inventive method of achieving greater thrust from the power of the waves by harnessing a vessel's submerged flapping foils in an innovative way... structure and movement of whale's tail fin uses wave energy for propulsion... reduce fuel costs, enhances marine craft propulsion... small, unmanned vessels and can be seamlessly integrated into hybrid propulsion systems, including those powered by electricity, hydrogen, or fossil fuels"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-environmentally-friendly-electrochemical-refrigerant-compressor.html "no moving parts and no need for lubricants, overcoming shortcomings of mechanical compressors... constant flow rate can be provided at various pressure ratios with electrochemical compressors... enables high COP heat pump... desired flow rate and pressure obtained by stacking... compresses refrigerants through ion movement by charging the ion exchange membrane with DCvoltage, using hydrogen as carrier gas... isothermal compression by applying multi-layer freezing where cells accumulated in a stack"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-properties-silicon-hydrogen-deuterium-surface.html "silicon enhanced when hydrogen replaced with deuterium on surface layer... Si−D surfaces become much more resistant to and stable against oxidation when exposed to either positive or negative voltages. and their electrical characteristics were more consistent compared to Si−H surfaces... Si−D instead of Si−H surfaces in applications requiring non-oxidized silicon surfaces, such as electrochemical biosensors, silicon-based molecular electronic devices, and silicon-based triboelectric generators"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-optoelectronic-components-phosphorus.html "control electronic and optical properties of phosphorus and nitrogen introduced into polycyclic molecules in a way that was not possible before, to synthesize wide range of P/N-substituted compounds... new method provides access to the class of azaphospholes, which were previously only accessible in a very cumbersome manner and mostly in very low yields. Therefore, they were not considered for (opto-)electronic applications until now... organic semiconductor technologies such as OLEDs and sensors"

https://publishing.aip.org/publications/latest-content/putting-sound-waves-to-work-to-create-safer-public-spaces/ "proof of concept included 1,042 sensors powering 48 LED lights... mitigates hearing damaging noise above 70 dB... installed in walls, floors, and ceilings... system output switched between battery and direct harnessed output... variables include voltage needed to power main device component, frequency and intensity of the input sound, and piezoelectric sensors tested in parallel and serial configurations... smart power management, easily biodegradable and recyclable silica” Related: Piezo Composites with Carbon Fibers for Motion Sensors https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/press/piezo_composites_with_carbon_fibers_for_motion_sensors.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-approach-fast-charging-lithium-ion-batteries-graphite-based.html "interfacial chemistry for Li+ solvation structure and SEI formation influence charging speed and durability... Li3P enables lower Li+ desolvation barrier and faster Li+ diffusion capability through SEI... ultrathin S-bridged phosphorus layer on graphite, which in situ converts to crystalline Li3P-based SEI with high ionic conductivity,...  10 min and 6 min (6C and 10C) charging for 91.2% and 80% of capacity, respectively, and 82.9% capacity retention for over 2K cycles at 6C charging rate"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-bluetooth-scientists-efficient-transmit-devices.html "improved battery life... wearable devices... instead of electromagnetic waves, for low-power data transmission at close range while maintaining the high throughput needed for multimedia applications... phone numbers exchanged simply by shaking hands, or door unlocked just by touching the handle... single chip, and cost just a few pence per device"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-back-contact-micrometric-photovoltaic-cells.html "reducing electrode-induced shadowing by 95% and potentially up to 3X lower energy production costs... extremely small size... electronics miniaturization, cheaper more powerful solar cells, lightweight nuclear batteries, miniaturization of telecommunications and iot devices" Related: ISC Konstanz claims 24% efficiency for tunnel back contact solar cell https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/12/21/isc-konstanz-claims-24-efficiency-for-tunnel-back-contact-solar-cell/ Longi announces 27.09% efficiency for heterojunction back contact solar cell https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/12/20/longi-announces-27-09-efficiency-for-heterojunction-back-contact-solar-cell/ Shaping the future of solar energy: flexible silicon solar cells with high power-to-weight ratios https://medriva.com/health/environmental-health/shaping-the-future-of-solar-energy-flexible-silicon-solar-cells-with-high-power-to-weight-ratios/

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-carbon-material-energy-storage-advance-supercapacitors.html "capacitance 611 farads/ g stores 4X more energy, highest recorded for porous carbon... huge oxygen-rich surface area >4,000 sq. meters/ g for enhanced physico- and electro- chemistry, oxidation or reduction reactions... balances small and large pores: smaller provide bigger surface for storing charge, larger speed up charge/discharge rate performance ... mesopores doped with oxygen and nitrogen contribute most to capacitance... supercapacitors, regenerative brakes, power electronics and auxiliary power supplies" Related: Researchers Achieve Historic Milestone in Energy Capacity of Supercapacitors https://www.utep.edu/newsfeed/2023/researchers-achieve-historic-milestone-in-energy-capacity-of-supercapacitors.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-dynamic-z-scanning-ultrafast-auto-focusing-laser.html "easier laser-based manufacturing, accommodating non-flat or changing surfaces... simultaneously track surface location and adjust focus... TAG lens axial varifocal optics at 0.1-1 MHz, bypassing delays from mechanical motion in beam propagation direction... simultaneous detection and movement dynamic z-scanning without mechanical axial movement... instantaneously follow surface topography in z-direction... dynamic beam shaping of light... optical metrology and 3D laser manufacturing"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-magnets.html "adding low-cost organic tetrabutylammonium between the magnet's atomic layers allows the magnet to work in temperatures of up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Van der Waals magnets don't have practical applications right now because of their temperature constraints," Singamaneni said. "My approach is unique because we've shown that a simple chemical treatment to a distinct magnet can push boundaries of 2D magnetism; this could be quite transformative for the industry"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-photovoltaic-size-weight-higher-frequencies.html "50 kW PV inverter switching frequencies increased 2.5–3X for the DC input and by 10–12.5X for inverter output... enable high switching frequencies usually only achievable with Wide Band Gap... additional circuits consist of specialized combinations of auxiliary power semiconductors, resonance capacitors and inductors, reduce voltage and/or current stresses... loss reduction: Si-based IGBT of boost converter up to -70 % and for SiC-based MOSFET of inverter up to -92%... battery, drive of fuel cell converters"

https://www.laserfocusworld.com/lasers-sources/article/14301723/narrowband-tunable-terahertz-lasers-may-transform-materials-research-and-technology "efficiently create metastable superconducting-like state in fullerene-based material K3C60, while reducing the pulse intensity by 100X... observed at room temperature for 100 ps, predicted lifetime >=0.5 ns... lattice vibration excitation coupled to electronic degrees freedom of system through electron phonon coupling... high-speed devices, exploring the effects of quantum tunneling under a laser drive"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-liquid-crystal-spatial-modulators-devices.html "digital creation, control, detection, and harnessing exotic forms sculptured, structured light.... high resolution in amplitude, phase, polarization, path, orbital angular momentum, and spatiotemporal control... millions of pixels modulated in an in-principle lossless manner, applicable to optical communication, microscopy, imaging, detectors, quantum optics... trapping, tweezing and manipulating objects in 3D, applicable to physics, chemistry, medicine and biology"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-reveals-rare-metal-revolutionary-future.html "emergent symmetry: 2 opposing electronic states within purple bronze... flips between being insulator and superconductor... exploit this edginess to create switches in quantum circuits whereby tiny stimuli induce profound, orders-of-magnitude changes in the switch resistance"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-high-power-fiber-lasers-emerge-technology.html "Brillouin-scattering laser threshold power boosted 3 - 5X while still focused on target... input wavefront shaping modulates relative phases of multimode optical fiber modes, so that interference produces diffraction-limited spot near fiber output, collimated by lens... defense against low-cost drones, remote detection of molecules, gravitational wave measurement"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-self-sorting-coacervates-high-order-protocell-networks.html "alternating sequence of liquid crystalline coacervates and non-structured microdroplets... surface energy minimization of coacervate droplets in restraining force-field... biochemical reactions in separate compartments... host-guest complexation, photo-isomerization, salt-induced dissolution... isolate oligonucleotides from mixtures containing proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, or ATP... collective functions... signal processing, protein expression, morphological differentiation, and energy harvesting"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-lithium-ion-batteries-longer-gold-standard.html "artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI): safer, more reliable, higher energy density... homogenized lithium ion distribution reduces deposits on negatively charged areas, reducing dendrites... polymeric ASEI layers and inorganic-organic hybrid ASEI layers have easily adjustable strength and elasticity and are extremely compatible... inorganic-organic hybrid layers reduce layer thickness and improve component distribution within layers... future: improved adhesion of layers to metal, stability thinner layers" Related: Xerion: Out Of Stealth Mode With A Major Battery Breakthrough https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkobayashisolomon/2023/11/17/xerion-out-of-stealth-mode-with-a-major-battery-breakthrough/?sh=10637bb668f3 Battery Breakthrough: Scientists Reveal the Mechanics of Solid-State Energy https://scitechdaily.com/battery-breakthrough-scientists-reveal-the-mechanics-of-solid-state-energ

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-robot-arm-poised-heights-quantum.html "allowing quantum experiments to be conducted with unprecedented levels of speed, detail and complexity... highly constrained environments combining ultra-low temperatures, atomic-scale interactions, and tightly-aligned laser beams... enable experiments with increased prototyping speed, control, and robustness... high strength magnet the robot holds can be positioned anywhere in 3D at any angle, navigating around obstacles. Using tools such as electrodes, lasers, and mirror surfaces"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-green-pharmaceutical-production-wood.html "lignin broken down into a precursor substance to synthesize 4 substance classes each with multiple derivatives... only lignin plus other non-harmful and biodegradable solvents and reagents used to create substances capable of influencing growth of different types of bacteria or even cancer cells... allows us to produce molecules that are otherwise very difficult to access" Related: Scientists engineer bacteria to make two valuable products from plant fiber https://phys.org/news/2023-12-scientists-bacteria-valuable-products-fiber.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-highly-efficient-open-shell-singlet-luminescent.html "adjusting donor conjugation OS diradicals achieving highly luminescent diradical (DR1) with outstanding stability... 0.5 wt.%-DR1 doped film demonstrates significant single-molecule magnetoluminescence... achieved 210% magnetoluminescence (ML) value at 7 T magnetic field... most efficient electron-hole separation and higher oscillator strength... prepared in 4 steps from commercially available reagents... interaction between two electrons within a single-molecule of DR1 plays a key role for MLs"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-porous-platinum-matrix-actuator-material.html "convert energy into movement... random, interconnected 2 nm strands ultrafine-ligament nanoporous platinum containing tiny pores increasing energy conduction... also creates tiny pores between strands improving electron or charged atom movement... deceasing strand diameter improved actuator performance... bulk np-Pt by easy and cheap method of electrochemical dealloying selectively leaching copper from a platinum-copper alloy using sulfuric acid... catalyst, robust sensors/ detectors"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-device-photodetector-neuromorphic-vision-sensor.html "as low voltage photodetector has fast photo-response speed and high responsivity, enabling optically controlled logic circuits, photonic imaging, and optical communication... simulates neuron/synaptic functions as neuromorphic vision sensors at high voltage, including paired pulse facilitation, transition from short-term to long-term plasticity, learning-experience behavior, and image memory... improved recognition accuracy and efficiency for image pre-processing... robot vision systems and neuromorphic computing" Related: Photothermally Activated Artificial Neuromorphic Synapses https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02681 IU bioengineers are building the intersection of brain organoids and AI https://blogs.iu.edu/iuimpact/2023/12/15/human-brain-tissue-on-a-computer-chip-iu-bioengineers-are-building-the-intersection-of-organoids-and-ai/ Computational event-driven vision sen

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-electrocaloric-efficient-conventional-air-conditioners.html "fluid-based... laid lead scandium tantalate strips atop one another, then in silicone oil selected for heat-carrying properties, then heating with electricity pushing fluid in one direction, and then pushing it the other way when it cools down—the region of difference, they found, was approximately 20°C. To use the device as a heater or an air conditioner, oil is circulated through the system. Testing showed the device capable of reaching 64% of Carnot's efficiency—the theoretical limit of devices using such technology"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-boundaries-eco-friendly-chemical-production-azaarenes.html "supercharging enzymes with a flashlight, enabling them to assemble or repair molecular structures in unprecedented ways. By harnessing the power of light, these scientists have unearthed novel chemical reactions that were previously thought to be out of reach.... manipulating azaarenes, building blocks in many compounds... asymmetric photocatalysis ensures consistency in reactions...  enantioselective enzymatic hydrogen atom transfer... biofuels and other bioproducts from bioimass, agrochemicals, medicines"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-technique-acoustic-lenses-impact-resistant-futuristic.html "2 lasers: 1 zaps polymer, ceramic, or metal metamaterial and other measures vibration response enabling calculating properties including size, defects, stiffness in response to impact, and how fast ultrasound travels through them... on single chip printed hundreds of microscopic towers, each with a specific height and architecture, then tested and measured response... sound focusing ultrasound waves and lenses, boosting ultrasound probe sensitivity, impact-resistant bike helmets, lightweight bulletproof films" Related: New kinds of padding could make football gear, bike helmets safer than ever https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-kinds-padding-football-gear-bike.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-hydrogen-fuel-cell-durability-tungsten.html "applied WO3 coating to catalyst layer at anode... selectively conducts electricity as protons are intercalated/deintercalated by exploiting metal-insulator transition wherein insulator becomes capable of conducting electricity when subjected to external factors like changes in concentration or temperature of a gas... this lessens oxygen-caused deterioration of fuel-cell's catalyst... catalyst remained corrosion-free with 94% performance retention rate... readily applied during mass production of fuel-cell vehicles" Related: Using cosmetic ingredients for battery protection https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-cosmetic-ingredients-battery.html LiCAP Technologies and Dürr Systems AG Agree to Provide Breakthrough EV Battery Manufacturing Technology https://www.accesswire.com/viewarticle.aspx?id=806348&lang=en Study identifies key ingredient for affordable fuel cell catalysts https://phys.org/

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-boosting-thermal-energy-storage-polyelectrolytes.html "dextran sulfate sodium improves thermal performance and stability of salt hydrate phase change materials... pure salt hydrate PCM cannot sustain up to 10 melt-freeze cycles, but with the additive, stability is retained after 150 cycles... better performing heat pumps" Related: Fourth Power, a startup, receives $19 million for 1 MWh prototype liquid tin energy storage https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/bill-gates-liquid-tin-energy

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-nanoparticles-ion-irradiation-advance-energy.html "precisely control size, composition, size, density, and location of exsolved nanoparticles by leveraging ion irradiation, beaming charged particles to bombard material... simultaneously performing metal exsolution, precipitating metal nanoparticles out of oxide onto electrode surface... particles embed themselves into electrode and that anchoring makes them more stable... nanoparticles created with ion irradiation had superior catalytic activity... energy-efficient computers, fuel cells, hydrogen ffom electrolysis"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-optical-logic-gates-graphene-nanoribbons.html "smaller (plasmon wavelengths shorter than for optical), energy efficient, secure, stable, and higher speeds benefiting AI... Y-shaped graphene nanoribbons bonded on top of insulation... plasmon waves, collective oscillations of electrons at interface between graphene and insulation, triggered by light waves in incoming optical signals and can also generate outgoing signals themselves after information processed by logic gate... high ratio between power level of gate's on-off states transmitting and blocking data"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-scientists-low-cost-multifunctional-microprinter-ultrafast.html "spiny disc connected to needle and power... ink cone-jetted onto platform forming micropatterns similar to charged droplet streams ejected from tips of raindrops in thunderstorm... speed enhanced 100X... 10 μm-thick lead zirconate titanate film on 4-in. Si wafer fabricated in 10 min... affordable precision printing with features measurable at ~20 μm...microphone piezoelectric components, clinical ultrasound probes, thin-film solar, dielectric ceramics, metal nanoparticles, insulating polymers and biological molecules" Related: A non-equivalent co-doped strategy to improve the electrical properties of piezoelectric ceramics https://phys.org/news/2024-04-equivalent-doped-strategy-electrical-properties.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-autonomous-lab-best-in-class-quantum-dot.html "closed-loop operation flow reactors: self-driving labs automate quantum dot synthesis use extremely small amounts of chemicals for rapid synthesis experiments, updating machine learning model, and next-experiment selection... doped with specific impurities in targeted way, altering optical and physicochemical properties maximizing, for example, efficiency at converting UV into desired wavelength...  quantum yield 158%... electronic, photovoltaic devices and other photonic and optoelectronic devices" Related: Scientists deliver quantum algorithm to develop new materials and chemistry https://phys.org/news/2024-03-scientists-quantum-algorithm-materials-chemistry.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-chemist-plastic-alternatives-proteins-scraps.html "chemical link binds protein molecules together, creating a dimer (molecule composed of 2 proteins) which is joined with another dimer to create tetramer, and so on until large 3D polymer... enables to behave like plastic, can stretch, change shape, and fold... biodegrade, degrades few days in acid... coffee cup lids, thin transparent films, fire-resistant roof tiles, car doors, rocket cone tips, or heart valves... 2nd technology proteins reinforced with cotton... attraction makes strong protein-fabric shoes, desks, flowers, and chairs" Related: Researchers develop eco-friendly material from mushrooms, coffee grounds and natural pineapple fibers https://phys.org/news/2024-01-eco-friendly-material-mushrooms-coffee.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-circuits-based-2d-semiconductor-ghz.html "ring oscillator (RO) tunable circuit producing signals utilizing 2D semiconducting MoS2-based field-effect transistors (FE)... RO constructed by cascading 5 inverters in ring, and output read through buffer... each inverter constructed from enhanced (E)-mode FET as drive and depletion (D)-mode FET with gate and source terminals connected as load... for D-mode FETs, deposited sub-stoichiometric AlOx on MoS2... frequencies up to 2.65 GHz, scalable... DTCO advancing 2D semiconductor circuit-level performance"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-photo-induced-superconductivity-chip.html "connected thin films of K3C60 to photo-conductive switches with co-planar waveguides... response not linear, resistance of sample depends on applied current, a key feature of superconductivity... visible laser pulse triggers switch, sending strong electric pulse lasting 1 ps at around half speed of light through the solid... current pulse reached another switch which revealed characteristic electrical signatures of superconductivity... may lead to new devices based on this effect"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-ai-instantly-generates-3d-image.html "large reconstruction model trains AI using highly scalable neural network containing 1 million datasets with 500 million parameters and includes images, 3D shapes, and videos... predicts a neural radiance field with image synthesis, object detection, and image segmentation capabilities... will transform 3D model creation for AR, VR, gaming, cinematic animation, and industrial design"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-2d-semiconductor-transistors-redefining-energy.html "integrates data processing and storage onto single 1 X 1 cm chip generating less heat... uses stable 2D 3-atom thin molybdenum disulfide as semiconductor, plus floating gate used to store charge in memory that controls conductivity of each transistor.... can be mass produced... by setting conductivity of each transistor, we can perform analog vector-matrix multiplication in single step applying voltages to processor and measuring output... digital signal processing and implementation of AI models"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-extension-additive-key-load-bearing-plastic.html "granules from recycled thermoplastics print 8X faster with screw extension additive manufacturing, saves 10% weight and material costs... delivery payload capacity 200 kg including rider... production costs 200X lower... rugged shelf and vehicle frame individually shaped and high load-bearing capacity... 3D-printed rear shelf reduces weight while optimizing cargo space. saves 26.5 kg compared to previous retrofit while shelf system unchanged, lower drawer bears 100 kg... 8% more storage area"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-focus-arvr-near-eye-display-based.html "less bulky, high light-modulating ultra-thin metasurface gratings, lenses, and holograms optics... sub-wavelength planar element antennas with superior modulation of light amplitude, phase, and polarization... metasurfaces can function as eyepieces, combiners, beam splitters, waveguides, direct projection.and large FOV AR displays... advanced 3D near-eye displays to help alleviate visual fatigue and provide a more natural 3D visual experience"

https://www.bioch.ox.ac.uk/article/scientists-discover-enzyme-that-turns-air-into-electricity-providing-a-new-clean-source-of-e "from common soil bacterial protein mycobacterium smegmatis that can be grown in large quantities...  natural battery Huc produces sustained electrical current from air or added hydrogen... channels to Huc active site too narrow for oxygen to pass through but wide enough for hydrogen... it is predicted mutations will widen channels enabling passage of oxygen... small air-powered devices" Related: Scientists just discovered an ‘astonishing’ way to create energy out of thin air: ‘The sky is quite literally the limit’ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/scientists-just-discovered-astonishing-way-103000591.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-molecular-beasts-foundation-chemical-compounds.html "synthesized new compound from charged molecular fragment and nitrogen from air... reactive fragments caused by breaking molecular bonds are tamed by vacuum inside modified mass spectrometers, meaning there is nothing for fragments to attack, so uncontrolled chemical reactions are prevented... molecules difficult to bind, such as nitrogen, can be easily incorporated into new substance in stead of being produced in only small quantities and destroyed... microchips, solar cells or biologically active coatings" Related: Researchers develop gold nanowire spectroscopy system to reveal how trions are generated https://phys.org/news/2024-02-gold-nanowire-spectroscopy-reveal-trions.html

https://www.laserfocusworld.com/optics/article/14300977/encoding-quantum-information-in-states-of-light "use superconducting circuits to generate, stabilize, and control qubits based on Schrödinger cat states which inherently resist bit-flip errors... bit-flip suppression rises exponentially with number of photons contained in coherent state... 6 order  magnitude increased bit-flip time, from few ms to >10 sec... 60X fewer resources... microwave photons propagating in coaxial cables... cooled near absolute 0, to avoid spurious thermal photons... trap microwave using superconductors... 2-photon dissipation to avoid microwave loss" Related: Unlocking quantum computing power: Automated protocol design for quantum advantage https://phys.org/news/2024-03-quantum-power-automated-protocol-advantage.html

https://newatlas.com/drones/millisign-guides-drones-rfid-tags/ "big landing-pad-based RFID tag receives radio signal from drone-based millimeter wave radar unit taking place of handheld RFID reader, and transmits response back to drone... response indicates tag's/pad's location relative to drone, so easily located, and more intense received signals indicates drone is closer... tags incorporate corner reflectors enabling signals over wide 3D angle... less installation, maintenance and no need for imaging, unlike GPS... tag can be read by an airborne drone from a distance of 33 to 49 ft."

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-carbon-nanotubebased-mosfets-doped-scalable.html "localized solid-state extension doping... SiNx donor defect densities approaching 5 × 1019 cm−3, which could sustain carbon nanotube carrier densities 0.4 nm−1 in extensions of scaled nanotube devices... makes doping and polarity control inside nanotubes compatible with existing large-scale electronics production... shrink transistor size without compromising performance or energy efficiency" Related: Researchers triple carbon nanotube yield for LEDs, solar cells, flexible and transparent electronics https://phys.org/news/2023-11-triple-carbon-nanotube-yield-solar.html

https://www.energy.gov/technologytransitions/articles/doe-and-montana-technologies-announce-breakthrough-hvac-and-water "Breakthrough in HVAC and water harvesting technology... lowest energy consumption per liter of water removed from the air... commercialize and scale, making available to HVAC OEMs, patented MOFs and coating processes in partnership with BASF... commercial HVAC accounts for 20% of power consumption worldwide"  Related: Metal-organic frameworks study unravels mechanism for capturing water from air https://phys.org/news/2024-01-metal-frameworks-unravels-mechanism-capturing.html WC-100 Waterrcube, 120+ gallons/day https://genesissystems.com/wc-100-watercube/ Bioinspired hydrogel pattern enhances atmospheric water harvesting via directional droplet steering https://phys.org/news/2024-01-bioinspired-hydrogel-pattern-atmospheric-harvesting.html Device placed outside homes in areas with excess heat produces drinkable water with no additional effort https://www.thec

https://www.acrjournal.uk/features/why-energivault-is-the-great-cooling-all-rounder/ "working fluid enters battery, and develop spherical ice crystals with vast total surface area... crystals coated with thin organic film hold massive cooling loads... cold working fluid drawn off battery's base to provide cooling to target app when needed... mechanical structures not needed... full charge 1MWh thermal support cooling load 6MW for 10 min or discharge 100KW for 600 min... new device is well suited to work with industrial, commercial, and multi-residential cooling systems"

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/liquid-metal-catalysts-cut-emissions-save-energy "liquid metals catalysts reduce chemical industry's energy consumption which is currently >10% percent of world’s total energy... solid catalysts require high temperatures, up to 1K°C, to work effectively... so, replace solid catalysts with liquid metals with lower melting points and mobility... liquid metals can catalyze chemical reactions at much lower temperatures, saving energy" Related: How to develop bio-inspired catalysts https://phys.org/news/2023-11-bio-inspired-catalysts.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-photonics-team-high-performance-ultrafast-lasers.html "mode-lock laser chip emits ultrashort, coherent light pulses in femtosecond intervals... cheaper, energy efficient... combines high laser gain III-V semiconductors and efficient pulse shaping thin-film lithium niobate nanoscale photonic waveguides... emits high output peak power 0.5 (goal: >1) W... cell phones diagnose eye disease or analyzing food and environments for viruses, and enable futuristic chip-scale atomic clocks which allows navigation when GPS is compromised or unavailable" Related: A promising pairing: Scientists demonstrate new combination of materials for quantum science https://www.anl.gov/article/a-promising-pairing-scientists-demonstrate-new-combination-of-materials-for-quantum-science

https://www.news9live.com/science/marigold-like-nanoparticles-developed-by-iit-bombay-capable-of-unprecedented-solar-thermal-conversion-2320706 ">72°C heated water passed through hollow copper tubes coated with marigold-like nanostructured hardcarbon florets (readily available and scalable) converts to water vapor with 186% efficiency... converting 87% infalling light into usable thermal energy... florets absorb >97% UV, visible and IR... increases temperature to 60°C... solar thermal converters used in water heaters... chemical vapor deposition is used to create the nanoparticles... coating also works on paper, elastomers, metal and terracotta" Related: Absolicon solar collectors: 76,4 % efficient heat production to make steam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx6gFHqCbFE

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-photoresist-materials-pave-smaller-high.html "resist is made using oganic thin film poly(methyl methacrylate) vapor-phase infiltrated with inorganic indium oxide... increased sensitivity to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light (need less exposure time during lithograph patterning), improved uniformity, better patterning performance, and improved mechanical and chemical resistance so good templates for high-resolution etching... new classes hybrid photoresists and use machine learning in EUV research by making material validation easier and vastly cheaper" Related: Everything machines always wanted to learn about metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-machines-metal-oxide-semiconductor-capacitors.html

  https://phys.org/news/2023-11-eavesdropping-electron-method-noise.html "spin states can be specifically prepared and at the same time determine how long such a state is maintained... quantum dot sample was permanently exposed to an exciting laser and the resulting noise was recorded over a long period of time... extracted the lifetime of the spin states from this apparently random optical signal... now possible to re-evaluate even older, seemingly useless data discovering signals that previously remained hidden... quantum computers"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-secret-longer-batteries-soap.html "increase energy density... lithium metal... localized high-concentration electrolytes made mixing high concentrations salt in solvent with diluent making electrolyte flow better, maintaining battery's power... micelle-like structures form within electrolyte... solvent binds diluent and salt, wrapping around higher concentration salt in micelle's center"

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/canons-nanoimprint-litho-tool-could-disrupt-wafer-fab-equipment-market "cheaper 5nm-class chips... cost around $15 million, 1/10th that of ASML's EUV competing litho tool, although even Canon does not believe nanoimprint lithography will replace traditional EUV and DUV scanners... mold patterned with circuit design is stamped onto wafer resist, bypassing need for optical transfer, for more precise replication of intricate 2D or 3D circuit patterns in single step, but slower serial process, and requires stringent and ultra-clean process to ensure a uniform quality of production" Related: Throwing lithography a curve: Research introduces mask wafer co-optimization method https://phys.org/news/2024-02-lithography-mask-wafer-optimization-method.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-scientists-method-electronic-to-multi-ionic-transmission.html "controlled liquid–liquid phase-separated polymerization, integrating ion-enriched internal phases with low-conductivity continuous phase... multiple heterointerfaces within HBG materials affect transfer free energy barriers experienced by ions and their hydration–dehydration states, amplifying differentiation in cross-interface transmission between different ions by several orders magnitude... induces conversion of electronic input signals into programmable bioionic signals... biotechnology (egulation of cardiac electrical activity)"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-energy-efficient-transmitter-based-cmos.html "High-yield and low-cost electrical driver amplifier and optical modulator... relatively slow transmitter modulation with strong modulation contrast... 112 gigabaud-112 Gbps. on-off keying rate, 224 Gbps pulse-amplitude modulation, energy efficiency below picojoules per bit... silicon waveguides... signal equalization, complex signal formatting and spectral synthesis realized within electrical to optical or optical to electrical conversion processes,.. 200 GBaud transmission with silicon photonic modulator"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-carbon-based-sensors-poised-seamless-human-machine.html "wearable, light, flexible interfacing electroencephalogram, EEG, EMG, electrooculogram, eye movement, light, breathing, voice, touch, temperature, movement, gait... can achieve speech recognition, emotion analysis, content processing... wide sensitivity range using loosely stacked laser-scribed graphene films that increase in density with increasing pressure... metaverse and wearable health care... future: multi-modality (sound perception, and signal output, such as sound generation), improved comfort, and intelligence" Related: POSTECH pioneers a novel approach to develop intelligent healthcare sensors using various gold nanowires https://www.postech.ac.kr/eng/gold-now-has-a-golden-future-in-revolutionizing-wearable-devices NAQI Logix -- a Breakthrough in Human-Machine Interface Without Brain Implants -- is Accepted into the Innovative Solutions Canada Program https://www.prnewswire.com/ne

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-autonomous-customizable-electrochemistry-robot.html "runs complex electrochemical experiments, analyze data with less effort and time... $1K for parts, open source... standard 3D printer frame transformed into robot; microfabricated electrode arrays, and eChips measuring electrical current to understand electrochemical measurements... electrochemical hardware moves around above electrochemical cells dispensing liquids... software allows fully automated data analysis, visual graphics, and plotting... decision-making when paired with machine learning" Related: New insight on electrochemical reactions—advancing the green transition https://phys.org/news/2023-12-insight-electrochemical-reactionsadvancing-green-transition.html NYU Tandon- led consortium shows how electrification can make chemical manufacturing greener https://spectrum.ieee.org/decarbonizing-chemical-industry

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-graphene-proton-permeability-future-energy.html "graphene illuminated with light, excites electrons which then interact with protons, accelerating their transport through material... Pauli blocking in proton transport is an unusual electronic property of graphene, never observed in proton transport. In essence, it is possible to raise the energy of electrons in graphene to such an extent that graphene no longer absorbs light, and hence the blocking... hydrogen fuel cells and solar water splitting"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-lasers-3d-printed-steel.html "controlling way solidifies after melting, and amount of heat, can program the properties of the end material. placed in furnace... laser used as microscopic hammer hardening metal during 3D printing... melting 2nd time with same laser relaxes metal's structure, allowing structural reconfiguration when part placed in furnace at relatively low temperature... made with alternating regions of strong and tough material, making performance comparable to steel that's been made through heating and beating" Related: 3D-printed metals with contrasting properties made using new method https://phys.org/news/2023-10-3d-printed-metals-contrasting-properties-method.html 3D printing precisely: Low-cost error compensation for fabrication of high-precision microstructures https://phys.org/news/2023-11-3d-precisely-low-cost-error-compensation.html New 3D printing method creates a steel-aluminum fusion hybrid https://techx

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-technology-evs-chip-noise.html "reduced interference with navigation and collision-avoidance systems... intelligent sensor detects precursors to EMI in certain signature parameters, and predicts and reduces  EMI... sensing conditions such as input voltage and load current that can indicate increased EMI in power circuits. In response, the technology applies on-chip countermeasures to bring EMI back under control... also for cellphones, laptops and other electronics"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-vacuum-optical-cavity-material-magnetic.html "cavity vacuum fluctuations change magnetic order of α-RuCl3 from zigzag antiferromagnet into ferromagnet... quantum mechanical effect, vacuum is never really empty since light particles existence pop in and out affects material's properties... help realize new and elusive phases of matter, and better understand the delicate interplay between light and matter" Related: Researchers demonstrate field-free switching of a commercial PMA ferromagnet at room temperature https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-field-free-commercial-pma-ferromagnet-room.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-micro-age-old-thermodynamic-puzzle.html "maximum power at maximum efficiency... overcomes Carnot limit of theoretical efficiency... rapidly changing electric field to cycle the engine between two states. Under these conditions, they found that the waste heat dissipated drastically reduced, bringing the efficiency close to 95% of the limit specified by Carnot... heat distribution time reduced using electric field to move particle in colloidal medium enabling high efficiency and durability with large power output even while operating at high speeds"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-techniques-efficiently-sparse-tensors-massive.html "improved performance and energy-efficiency of massive machine-learning models that drive generative AI... skips over 0's, saves computation and memory... finds non-0's for wider variety of sparsity patterns, and handle case where data doesn't fit memory... still maintain flexibility and adaptability while being specialized and efficient... divides tensor values into smaller blocks, with own simple, sparsity pattern, then combining blocks into eve larger levels, remaining simple at each step"

https://eng8.energy/energicell/ "ENG8 EnergiCells to be deployed as early as next year... primary fuel H2O creates plasma containing ionized atoms, the high temperature and pressure of which releases heat, light, electrons and other charged particles... catalysed fusion of protons and neutrons into new elements... COP (Q factor) 2.4 thermal or 5 electrical, independently verified by Underwriters Laboratories" YouTube: ENG8 EnergiCell Q-value 5 validation at Culham Science Park  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVy3IExRhI8 See also: Startup using water as nuclear fuel claims net energy gain milestone https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/fusion-energy-company-claims-milestone Simon Derricutt commented: "anyone working on this type of "heretical" science is in a Catch-22 situation. To do the development work and produce something that is ready for mass-production, you need a lot of money. To get enough money to do that, they have to have something that is

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-solid-state-thermal-transistor.html "on-off switching of electric field controls device's heat movement... incorporates field effect on charge dynamics at atomic interface allowing high performance using negligible power to switch and amplify heat flux continuously... switching speed of more than 1 MHz, or 1 M cycles/ sec... 1,300% tunability in thermal conductance and reliable performance for more than 1 M switching cycles... self-assembled molecular interface...switching on-off through third-terminal gate controls the thermal resistance" Related: Researchers show electrical pulses can control thermal resistance in devices https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-electrical-pulses-thermal-resistance-devices.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-bridging-electrolyte-worlds-lithium-ion-battery.html "Inorganic ceramic electrolytes offer high conductivity, and polymer electrolytes are easier to produce, more flexible and work better with electrodes... combined they produce a highly conductive, flexible electrolyte that is easier to synthesize... lithium tantalate filler mitigates separation—called a space-charge layer—between their constituent parts that otherwise limits their conductivity, and also provides an extra lithium-ion transport pathway... result: high conductivity and long-cycling life even at low temperatures" Related: Research demonstrates surface diffusion enhanced ion transport through two-dimensional channels https://phys.org/news/2023-11-surface-diffusion-ion-two-dimensional-channels.html Using photoelasticity in the quest for dendrite-resistant solid electrolytes https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-photoelasticity-quest-dendrite-resistant-solid-electrolytes.html Inve

https://www.fastcompany.com/90977098/this-wind-turbine-looks-like-nothing-youve-ever-seen-before "82-foot-high poles hold up track with 33 ft. vertical wings that travel around track and generate power... less material, 1/10th capital cost, less expensive to install... all components fit on standard tractor-trailer... produce more energy on same amount of land, since turbines can to spaced closer to each other... energy cost 1/3.. safer for birds and bats, lower profile makes less visible... funding in round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures to build pilot project by 2025" Related: Gorlov Helical Turbine: A Breakthrough in Renewable Energy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9e-NDrnvOw Rethinking wind power's towers and turbines https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-rethinking-power-towers-turbines.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-electrolytes-solid-state-batteries-based-viscoelastic.html "characteristics of both inorganic and organic electrolytes improve stability... introducing O atoms to vitrify LiAlCl4/NaAlCl4, ionic conductivity at room temperature improved 3 orders magnitude (~1 mS cm-1 at 30°C) for both Li+ and Na+... polymer-like mechanical properties enable pressure-less Li- and Na-based solid-state batteries (< 0.1 MPa), low-melting-temperature (< 160°C) allows electrolytes infiltrate electrode materials with 4.3 V cathodes...  electrolyte deformability facilitates scale-up thin films via rolling process"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-bartering-scientists-chaotic-behavior.html "opposing channels cause light beams to interfere with each other in stadium cavity... adjusting relative intensity and delay of light beams entering the 2 channels altered radiation pattern outside cavity... certain frequencies can support 2 independent, overlapping RSMs, which cause all light to enter stadium cavity without reflections back to channel ports, enabling better storage, routing, and control of light signals... energy harvesting, computation, communications, and biomedical sensing"

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-optical-fiberbased-single-photon-source-room.html "cheap, faster computing and stronger encryption... create entangled photon pairs... excited ytterbium ion has long fluorescence 1 ms lifetime... single ytterbium ion in doped filter in amorphous silica optical fiber at room temperature.... single-photon light source with selectable wavelength... quantum true random number generators, free-space and fiber telecommunication, quantum logic operations, high-resolution image analysis beyond diffraction limit, and high-resolution image analysis"

  https://phys.org/news/2023-10-team-dual-metalens-modes-based.html "dual-mode imaging metalens transitions between normal and edge modes based on direction of light polarization rotation fine-tunes size, shape, and rotational orientation... focus by adjusting voltage applied to liquid crystal layer, allowing for rapid mode-switching in milliseconds... hydrogenated amorphous silicon lens efficiency 32.3%, 31.7%, and 20.4% for red, green, and blue...swiftly capture high-resolution images (bio-imaging, cellular reactions, drug screening), smartphones, VR and AR, and fixed LiDAR" Related: Smart droplets: Elevating tiny tech with a liquid metal signal-switching mechanism https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-smart-droplets-elevating-tiny-tech.html

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-strange-magnetic-material-energy-efficient.html "computers that need < 1/M of energy required to switch single bit... Mn-doped GeTe sensitive to both magnetic and electric fields... small, constantly fluctuating (AC) electrical current, followed by a tiny current nudge at just the right moment, forcing one spin to change its orientation in effect creates a wave through the sample and cause the other magnetic moments to also switch... more efficient, compact, energy-saving... enhancing switching magnetization direction efficiency 6 orders magnitude"

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-future-ai-hardware-scientists-unveil.html "visual data processing combining optical and electronic analog computing in single chip... diffractive neural network extracts information and reduce data dimensionality in parallel received by photodiode array generating light-induced photocurrents,.... classify high-resolution images within 72 ns... consumes 4M times less energy (6 orders magnitude improvement), 3 orders faster... industry and autonomous driving (image recognition, object detection, scene understanding), large language models, wearable health monitoring"